The 2015 Shawano County Fair is now history. The rides have left, the animals have either been auctioned off or taken back home, the displays have been torn down, and all the vendors’ booths and food stalls cleaned and returned to storage status.
I write like I know what happens. I don’t. All I know for sure is, the fair is over and I was there.
When I reflect on the four days I was at the fair, I am overwhelmed by the amount of work and effort it takes to effectively pull off an event like a county fair. I participated in the Integrated Pain Solutions booth and was there Friday through Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., approximately. Frankly, it left me exhausted and all I did was sit and talk to people!
I feel extremely blessed to have met some wonderful readers during my days at the fair. Thank you to all of you who took the time to stop in at my booth to visit. It warmed my heart. It seems I don’t have the words to explain how deeply I appreciate your kindness. Whenever I receive feedback it never fails to humble me and I realize that there are people who relate to our lifestyle in a deep and personal way. It amazes me!
The booth I spent those hours in was surrounded by a little cluster of some wonderful folks who believed with all their heart and soul in what they were representing. Just across the way from me was a gal who underwent a significant weight loss in her life through diet and exercise and, as a result, is on a mission to improve the lives of others in the same manner.
A booth down the way a bit showcased homemade maple syrup, complete with suckers, candy and any other manner in which maple syrup can be formed. I was treated to a small bag of maple syrup candy in the shape of a leaf. The smiling producers brought it right over to me. It was absolutely delicious and melted in my mouth.
Down the aisle from me was an Eternal Life booth and the young adults that manned that booth were on fire for the Lord. I was able to chat with them daily and realized they were enthusiastic and well-versed in the Bible and knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that they were on a mission to save souls for the Kingdom of Heaven through the grace and mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ. Praise God, they did a marvelous work those days of the fair. I was a witness to it!
Many people, all shapes and sizes and with distinctive personalities, strolled slowly past me. Altogether, I was there for 24 hours and talked at length to a substantial number of people. After a while, my throat became sore from the effort of talking. (I was rather quiet at home those fair nights, much to my husband’s amusement. And probably delight.)
I’ve learned from my days at the fair that there is a great amount of pain in this world. Some physical, yes, but others suffer deep emotional pain. At one point, a mother explained her adult daughter’s situation to me. Without going into detail, her words were heartbreaking. After a time she knew she needed to move along. Looking at me with gratitude, she simply said, “Thanks for listening.” It moved me to tears. I could not offer a solution; I had just merely listened.
Another event at the fair touched my heart as well. Again, I do not know all the details, but I did learn that a young boy had brought a pig to the fair. At the auction, it garnered an incredible price of $30 per pound. Above his pig’s pen in a boyish scrawl, he wrote: “Thank you, Farm Crop Insurance, for purchasing my pig. All money is being donated to cancer research. Thank you.” And he signed his name.
This type of a sacrificial love story is what needs to make the news headlines. This little boy unselfishly donated his time and effort for weeks and weeks to raise this animal from a small piglet up to a whopping 232-pound pig, bringing this substantial pig to show at the fair, selling it at the auction and then giving all the money away to cancer research. His family has been touched by this awful disease and this sweet little boy wanted to do what he could to help. They have raised him to develop a tender heart. It brought me to tears!
Yes, my days at the fair were touching, eye-opening and gratifying, and I fell into an exhausted sleep each night, although I’m pretty sure I had a smile on my face as I was drifting off.
(“I thank my God every time I remember you.” Philippians 1:3)
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